Cut waiting times for local people

The centre, which is run by Care UK on behalf of the NHS, has launched the service which offers advanced X-ray services as well as complex or multiple extractions and surgery on impacted teeth.

Christine Wardman, Care UK’s hospital director at the centre in Newlands Way, said: “Last year we began to realise that there was a real shortage of oral surgery services for NHS patients living in the Leeds and Bradford area.

“Waiting times were getting longer and many nervous patients were faced with having difficult tooth extractions in their dentist’s chair or simply trying to live with the pain until they could get a hospital appointment.”

The team devised a service that could offer complex extractions such as the surgical removal of impacted teeth (including wisdom teeth), surgical removal of teeth and surgical removal of retained roots. The centre can offer general anaesthetic and sedation, depending on individual requirements.

The treatment centre has three fully equipped theatres and a comprehensive range of diagnostic equipment and services, including MRI, CT, ultrasound, X-ray and a state-of-the-art service which carries out a panoramic dental X-ray of the upper and lower jaws in 2D – an option which Christine would like to see offered beyond the centre.